Between the Lines of Life

           What will you choose between the call of duty or the call of love? Will you consider the ones you love who pleads you to stay by their side or will you take over the one in need who cries for your help. Being in that situation is never easy. It is a difficult choice you must always look after the people that surrounds you.     You may only have two options. First to set a side your obligation as a leader that may lead into a downfall but knowing that you have your family with you. The second one is to go on to the battle that may or may not lead you to success and death but with the fact that you didn't turn your back with the ones in need. That kind of situation often happens to heroes, and two of those were Aeneas of Aeneid and Hector of Iliad both great heroes of their times.

Aeneas with Creusa, Ascanius and Anchises

         During the fall of Troy, Aeneas was in deep grief and very vengeful he wants to go in battle with the Greeks.  But his wife Creusa pleads to him that he must spare their lives first before anyone else. She continue pleading for herself and her son's welfare, her feelings of being a wife and a mother over power her that time. Aeneas seeing his wife acting that way considers her. He listened to Creusa, he prioritized his family first before anyone else and flee with them. 

Andromache, Astyanax and Hector

             On the other hand Hector who was going to fight with Achilles was asked by his wife Andromache to not go into battle anymore. Andromache pleads him to stay by her side with his son because if he dies in battle no one will be left with her and Astyanax since her father and brothers was already killed by Achilles.  Hector considers the plea of his wife but then he insist to go on battle because it is his duty and responsibility. Though Hector also thinks of his family he still prioritized his fellow men, he thinks that it is his fate and the will of the Gods for him.

            Between the stories of Aeneid and Iliad there are something in common and in contrast. They have the same scene where in the wife of the two hero asked them to stay by their side and don't go into battle any more.  Creusa stops Aeneas from having revenge during the Trojan war. Andromache begs Hector to not go into war with Achilles. Meanwhile they differ because the other one refuses to listen to his wife while one considers his wife's plea. Aeneas turned his back to the war and chose his family over his duty. Hector prefers to go in battle than to stay with his family, he chose his responsibilities rather than his loved ones. 

            We cannot judge anyone of them. Both of them just did what they think is for the better. Family over the call of duty? or The call of duty over your family? A very tough question, one swears to do his duty wholeheartedly and for a soldier, a leader and a hero it is his top priority. But family must be also one of the things he needs to consider. Either way you will always lose something. Decision making is indeed a tough thing to do, you must always read between the lines, you must always consider the ones involve and you must always accept whatever it will end up. 

Victory over Defeat

"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat" -Malcolm Forbes

          Victory? Yes, all about winning over something. Aeneas has been into many defeats and terrible lost. Aeneas lose most of his fellow Trojan during the battle at the fall of troy. He saw King Priam and the royal family being slain in their own altar. He loses his wife Creusa in the commotion while fleeing from Troy, when he got back all he saw was Creusa's shade meaning she's already dead. His father Anchises died at Drepanum while they were escaping from the Cyclops.  Aeneas's second love Dido, who commit suicide due to depression while the Trojans were leaving Carthage. The death of one of Aeneas's fleet lead captian Palinurus, as a sort of sacrifice for Neptune to protect the Trojan while sailing on the sea. While in escaping from the battle Nisus and Euryalus died. One of the deaths that arises Aeneas's feelings was the death of Pallas, a brave young cavalier whose life has a harsh end in the hands of Turnus. I have mention most of the deaths of the persons closest to Aeneas which I know intensely affects him.

        Whats victory if you haven't been defeated yet? For me you'll never know the true feeling of winning if you doesn't lose in the game even just for once. But for Aeneas he doesn't just lose one but many, tons of sacrifices was done, bunch of trials were conquered, numerous number of battles were combated. He is really into so much struggles during the journey in finding Rome. But he never gave up, he never loses hope, he keeps on praying to the Gods and Goddesses for their supervision. After his last battle with Turnus finally the glory of victory is now at Aeneas's side. It was indeed a tough journey not just for Aeneas but for all of the Trojans as well. Leastwise they have victory at their side, they found Rome. One of the greatest victories they can ever have.

         One will not gain triumph easily. It has to be gained through hardships because gaining it leisurely cannot be called victory. But achieving it with such effort is the most gratifying accomplishment. Triumph will never be yours unless you worked hard for it. Victory is a bittersweet part of the game. Its bitter because you know, you left someone behind whose madly hurt. Its sweet because at last all the hard works, obstacles, heart aches you've been through was already paid off. One must prevail  victory if they worked hard for it, and if they are really deserving for it. If not one must perish defeat and should learn to aim victory on its bitter way towards its sweetest peak.


           

Since then he's been History

          "Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success"

          That night at the feast, the Trojans were very triumphant for their victory, not knowing that it will also be the night of their defeat. In the middle of the night most of the Trojans were in their deep sleep. This was a great opportunity for the Greeks to attack. The wooden horse which they think was a peace offering was really a trap, a huge trap for them. It contains the greatest Greek soldiers while the others were just waiting outside the boundary of Troy's walls. Many Trojans died in battle, most of them were injured, and those who were left in Troy became slaves. Indeed the fall of Troy was a very devastating event for the Trojans. Aeneas knowing that fighting will not be a good option, flee from Troy together with the other Trojans. 

         When I was reading the part wherein Aeneas was narrating his experiences in the fall of Troy to Dido. My heart really sank with his story. I can feel that he is really in profound grief and sorrow fills his heart but then he is trying his best to move on and focus on more important things. I feel pity for him, though we all know that he is indeed a brave warrior and an invincible hero. But to feel helpless and useless while seeing someone so close to you, someone who runs in the same blood is eventually dying and you can't do anything at all. My deepest sympathy for Aeneas, he is also a human, vulnerable and vanquish able. He is still capable of being hurt but then he has to live. He has his greatest destiny.

           Yes, he is destined to found Rome himself. When I read that part, I was so glad. All the terrible things that happened to Aeneas will bear good ones.  At least in the end he has an avid destiny, maybe it is really meant to be a tragic way for victory to come. But still my feeling of sympathy for him doesn't change. Indeed he is the founder of Rome but he was into such obstacles and challenges. He lost most of his loved ones. He sacrifices his own free will. He leads his men into such journeys and battles. That was just too much for a mortal and I know though he didn't show it; I know he feels pain, a very intense pain in his heart. And that, that's the most heart breaking part so I pity him.

Behind the Smile

        Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa a very famous and controversial  oil painting in Western art history. It is truly beautiful, very unique yet mysterious. Her smile, a very intriguing smile, everyone is interested to know the true reason for her enigmatic smile. Researchers have many speculations about the person in the painting they said it was really Lisa Gherardini, some says it is actually a self portrait, the others say it is a certain Florentine lady many more other ideas came out. Another one that is being talked about is the reason for her smile. The question is what is really the true reason for her smile?

         Researchers found out that the smile is consist of 83% happy, 9% disgusted, 6% fearful, 2% angry, less that 1% neutral  and not surprised at all. New theory for Mona Lisa's  smile states that the girl in the painting suffer from muscular atrophy on the right side of the body that's why her smile is like that. The facial expression also seems to change in different angle. Yes, this painting is truly interesting the smile may really mean something but no one knows the truth. So I guess we should just be satisfied and enjoy this magnificent work of art

         No matter whats the reason behind the smile. The bottom line is Leonardo da Vinci did a great job in this painting. And I know no one will disagree that this painting is indeed a very big and important part of history. Regardless of the person in the painting, the reason for its smile and other mysterious speculations in it. It will always be the one of the most amazing paintings in the whole wide world. We should be thankful for it is made and we were able to witness its beauty.